Wellington Phoenix Draw with Adelaide United After Leading Early

Wellington Phoenix’s hopes of securing a top-six finish took a setback on March 15, 2024, after they drew 1-1 with Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium. Despite taking the lead in the first half, the Phoenix were unable to maintain their advantage, leaving interim coach Chris Greenacre winless after two matches in charge.

The match began with Adelaide showing early intent, as Luka Jovanovic headed wide within the first 20 seconds. However, it was the Phoenix who struck first, capitalizing on a foul committed by Adelaide captain Ryan Kitto in his 250th appearance. A well-placed free-kick from Kazuki Nagasawa found Corban Piper, whose header deflected off Manjrekar James, ultimately wrong-footing Adelaide goalkeeper Joshua Smits. The goal, credited to James, came in the 35th minute and was a deserved reward for the Phoenix, who out-shot their opponents 10 to 6 in the opening half.

Despite the encouraging first half, the Phoenix’s lead proved short-lived. Adelaide responded aggressively after the break, and Jovanovic leveled the score in the 55th minute. The striker skillfully maneuvered past James and Josh Oluwayemi, delivering a powerful strike for his seventh goal of the season, leaving the Phoenix exposed and the goalkeeper out of position.

This equalizer marked a significant setback for Wellington, who remain five points adrift of the sixth-place Central Coast Mariners, despite now being off the bottom of the table. The draw reflects a season-long struggle for the team, who had hoped a win would provide a much-needed boost.

Greenacre made minimal adjustments to his starting lineup, with Ifeanyi Eze stepping in for the suspended captain Alex Rufer. The coach also saw Tim Payne return from injury midway through the second half, looking to ignite potential momentum.

In his post-match comments, Greenacre acknowledged Adelaide’s quality, stating, “Full credit to Adelaide. They’re a good side, one of the form teams and they play a lovely brand of football. We always knew it was going to be difficult but my players, they were like warriors tonight and dug in til the death. Obviously disappointed to concede the goal we did. We will review that and try and improve from that, but the guys have given everything. If we had been offered a point at the beginning of the week, we would have taken it. It’s a point in the right direction for us.”

Looking ahead, the Phoenix will host Perth Glory at Hnry Stadium in their next match, where they will see familiar faces, including former assistant coach Adam Griffiths and ex-players Sam Sutton and Scott Wootton. This match will also feature a double-header with the Phoenix women’s team, as both squads don a one-off charity strip to support Ronald McDonald House.

The upcoming match presents an opportunity for the Phoenix to regroup and refocus, as they aim to climb back into contention for the finals.